11 comments:

Mikko
said...

Obviously dog persons are going to love the Budweiser puppy-horse spot. But you can replace Budweiser in that ad with whatever brand or product you can imagine and the spot would still work as well. There's nothing that says 'Budweiser' or even 'beer' in the spot. People are going to remember the puppy, but not what product the spot was supposed to advertise.

The spot did achieve what it set out to do--general awareness. It's memorable, tugs on viewers heart strings and has us all talking today. It maintains brand continuity through the use of the well-known and iconic Budweiser Clydesdale horses. It features the trainer from last year's advertising and continues the overall look and feel that Budweiser has established over the past few years. Could it be labeled with any other brand or product? Probably not--too iconic.

Brand continuity? General awareness? Yup, I saw this debut on whatever-whateverBC t.v. earlier in the week. But brand continuity and general awareness don't always influence what we buy. What did I actually buy at the grocery this store this weekend? Angry Orchard, because I prefer cider to beer. And I've never seen an Angry Orchard ad, television or digital. (And don't disappoint, AO, by retargeting me because of this post.

True. But, the spot is meant to influence consumers as much to maintain presence in the marketplace. No different than what coke did with their "America the Beautiful" spot. Anheuser-Bush know they have a strong brand presence among consumers so they don't have to always tout taste, quality, etc. Also, take a look at the end card hastag "bestbuds". How much does that speak to the sentiment of the spot as well as a simple, direct message (influence) for the product itself? Nice touch there.

Ha. The banner ad crowd being allowed to play with storyboards. So true. Doing TV takes an apprenticeship. Not a short one either. And preferably under some people who actually know what they're doing. But congratulations Adland, you've fired most of the the people who knew how to do TV. Y'know, the dinosaurs over 45 who also understood brands, and not least of all, how to rise to the moment of your work being being seen by 100 million people at once. This year was truly a new low for Superbowl advertising. The "best" were the tallest among midgets. And that's an insult to midgets. What happened to great - truly great? There was a line penned a couple of years ago: "The plumbers have taken over for the poets". It's all just plumbing now. Creatives of the world, it's not too late. Film is an amazingly powerful medium. Find some human truths, mine some real insights about your brand, and make a spot for your brand that no other brand could possibly make. Make a statement no other brand could possibly make. Make it memorable, make it funny, make it beautiful, or make it moving. But please God, make just one spot that will make just one viewer say, "That's wonderful."

I agree Rob. That was my pick. A simple insight with a simple but entertaining execution ... obviously what the business needs is for people to take another look at them ... I am calling it as probably the ad that will be the most effective

The good old people hew brought us Ronald Reagan.Cigaretts with Cowboys and with it unfettered Capitalism.As long as the money is there.All very embarrasing.You have to believe in what you do and take it serious.Sounds like a religion.Very scary!

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